Water sport equipment rack

ABSTRACT

A rack that adjustably attaches to an inboard wall panel of a boat for securing water sport equipment in the cockpit of the boat. The device is configured so that the rack adjustably attaches to the inboard wall panel and rests flush against the floor of a boat. The device is designed to secure a variety of water sport equipment so as to protect the water sport equipment, the boat and the passengers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

A water sport equipment rack for safe and secure transport in a boat isprovided. More specifically, a rack is disclosed that is designed tohold various water sport equipment and to attach to the inside wallpanel of a boat by an adjustable apparatus to improve the method ofsupporting and stabilizing the water sport equipment and to protect thewater sport equipment, the boat, and the passengers.

2. Description of the Background Art

Water sports have become, with increasing participation, a popular sportfor competition and recreation. With a variety of water sport equipmentnow available to be used in connection with a boat, an adequate holdingdevice to accommodate the variety of water sport equipment is necessaryto provide storage, support and stability to the equipment and toprovide protection and safety to the equipment, the boat, and thepassengers.

Many new models of boats now have provisions for the storage of thecurrent variety of water sport equipment. However, older models and somenew models of boats do not have provisions for storage; consequently,the water sport equipment is loosely placed in the boat, often on thefloor, posing a harm to the equipment, the boat, or the passengers.

Several racks for storage of water sport equipment have been devised inthe past for securement of the equipment on a boat during transport.However, none has been devised to attach to the inboard wall panel, andnone is devised to accommodate the current variety of water sportequipment now available.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,811,143 introduces a water ski holder that mounts to anengine of an inboard motor boat. The disclosed rack is devised to storewater skis on the rack above the engine. A resilient member straps overthe water skis to secure them in place. The rack also includes a hookfor attachment of a tow rope.

Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,836 is a ski rack that mounts on theexterior transom of a boat. This invention is a rack that extends upwardover the outboard engine and secures water skis outside of the cockpitof a boat.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,220 presents a portable device for storage of waterskis and tow ropes. The portable device mounts on the transom of a boat,extending out of the cockpit of the boat.

A ski rack is introduced in U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,112 having tubular poststhat mount, by means of suction cups, to the horizontal top and verticalside external surfaces of a boat, thus exterior to the cockpit. The rackis devised to hold up to two pairs of water skis that would stack on topof the other.

Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,065 is a portable water ski rack. Thedisclosed portable rack is intended to be mounted over the boat enginewith securement of the rack to either the engine or the boat frame. Thedisclosed rack is also designed only for securement of water skis, andnot other current water sport equipment.

Related in U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,015 is a rack for supporting water skisexterior to the cockpit of a boat. The rack has a pair of supportmembers that attach to the gunwale of the boat with the support membersextending outside the side of the boat.

A water ski storage rack is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,802. Thedisclosed rack is devised as a V-shaped support for water skis and thelike that resiliently connects to a lower support element. The rack isintended to be mounted on a boat, outside of the cockpit. The racksupports water skis and the like by stacking a set of skis on top of theother.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,082 discloses a lockable water ski rack having alower support base hinged to an upper support frame that closes andlocks the water skis in place. This rack mounts to the gunwale ortransom of a boat, outside of the cockpit. The rack is intended to holdwater skis and the tow rope.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,754 discloses a water ski rack fashioned withsupport legs that position over and attach to the boat engine cover. Thedisclosed rack is devised to be utilized as an apparatus to secure waterskis and to be utilized as a tow hook for use in towing a skier. Thedisclosed rack is devised only to secure water skis and not othercurrent water sport equipment.

The foregoing patents reflect the state of the art of which theapplicant is aware and are tendered with the view toward dischargingapplicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information whichmay be pertinent in the examination of this application. It isrespectfully submitted, however, that none of these patents teaches orrenders obvious, singly or when considered in combination, applicant'sclaimed invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a rack for a variety ofwater sport equipment, including, but not limited to, a water ski, awake board, a knee board, a tow rope handle, and a ski boom.

Another object of the present invention is to furnish a water sportequipment rack that provides storage, support, and stability to theequipment and to provide protection and safety to the equipment, theboat, and the passengers.

A further object of the present invention is to supply a water sportequipment rack that may be easily adjusted to mount, with few parts, toan inboard wall panel in the cockpit of a boat.

Still another object of the present invention is to disclose a watersport equipment rack that is mounted in an appropriate location thatwill not obstruct the view of the driver or the passengers of the boatand does not interfere with the path of the tow rope.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to describe a rack forthe safe and secure storage of water sport equipment that is notnecessary to remove when loading or covering the boat.

Disclosed is a water sport equipment rack comprising a rigid planarmember having a horizontal edge, a vertical edge, and an opposing edgeto the horizontal and the vertical edges. The opposing edge has slotsfor storage of a plurality of various water sport equipment. The rackhas an adjustable attachment means to secure the vertical edge to aninboard wall panel with the horizontal edge flush to the floor in thecockpit of a boat. The rack also has a protective coating to avoidscratching the water sport equipment.

Further disclosed is a water sport equipment rack comprising a rigidplanar member having a substantially quarter-circle shape wherein thequarter-circle planar member has a front side, a back side and an edge.The front side is attached to the back side by the edge. The edgefurther comprises a substantially horizontal edge having a first end anda second end; a substantially vertical edge having a first end and asecond end, wherein the first horizontal edge end is attached to thefirst vertical edge end so that the horizontal edge and the verticaledge are substantially perpendicular; and a substantially arced edgeopposing the horizontal and the vertical edges, wherein the arced edgehas a first end attached to the second horizontal edge end and a secondedge end attached to the second vertical edge end. The arced edgefurther comprises a plurality of slots wherein the slots have an openperipheral end and a closed medial end and the slots have apredetermined spacing and a predetermined length to adapt to variouswater sport equipment for secure and safe storage during transport inthe boat. The slots further comprise a slot with substantially paralleledges to receive a water ski, a wake board, a knee board, and the like;a slot with substantially rounded edges to receive a tow rope handle;and a slot with substantially tapered edges to receive other water sportequipment such as a ski boom. The water sport equipment rack alsocomprises a protective covering to protect the water sport equipmentfrom being scratched.

The water sport equipment rack further comprises a means for adjustableattachment to the inboard wall panel of the boat. The attachment meanspreferably, although not exclusively, is a clamp that adjustablyattaches to the front and back side of the rigid planar memberpreferably proximate to the vertical edge and adjustably attaches to theinboard wall panel of the boat so that the vertical edge is alignedsubstantially flush to the inboard wall panel and the horizontal edge isaligned substantially flush to the floor of the boat thereby securingthe water sport equipment rack in a fixed position. For anothercontemplated attachment means, the water sport equipment rack furthercomprises a groove on the front side of the quarter-circle rigid planarmember that is substantially parallel to the vertical edge and acorresponding groove on the back side. The grooves on both front andback sides have at least one aperture for receiving an anchoring device,such as, but not limited to, a pin, a bolt, or a rod that may be,although not exclusively, connected to a clamp that adjustable attachesto the inboard wall panel, wherein the vertical edge alignssubstantially flush to the inboard wall panel and the horizontal edgealigns substantially flush to the floor of the boat.

Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present inventionwill become apparent from the detailed description that follows, whenconsidered in conjunction with the associated drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boat on which the water sportequipment rack embodying the subject invention is installed.

FIG. 2 is a front side view of the subject invention in a verticalposition.

FIG. 3 is a back side view of the subject invention in a verticalposition.

FIG. 4a is a sectional view taken along line 4a--4a of a portion of theboat shown in FIG. 1 showing the rack attached to an inboard side wallpanel of the boat.

FIG. 4b is a sectional view taken along line 4a--4a of a portion of theboat shown in FIG. 1 showing an alternative attachment of the rack to aninboard side wall panel of the boat.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, there is shown a preferred embodiment of arack for securing water sport equipment within a boat. The rack isusually, but not exclusively, utilized to secure a water ski, a wakeboard, a knee board, a tow rope handle, and a ski boom. Preferably, therack is devised to function with a pair of planar members, substantiallyparallel to and at a predetermined distance apart from each other andsubstantially vertically mounted to the inboard wall panel of a boat.However, the rack is also contemplated to function with more than twoplanar members or with a single member having a wider or thicker edge.The rack is usually, although not exclusively, in the shape of asubstantially quarter-circle shape as viewed from the front or backside. However, other shapes are contemplated such as, but not limitedto, a triangular-like shape, a trapezoid-like shape or arectangular-like shape. The rack may be fabricated from, but not limitedto, a rigid material such as plastic, wood or fiberglass. The rack mayalso be fabricated from a buoyant material. The dimensions of the rackare predetermined to adapt to the variety of water sport equipment,boats, or fabrication material. Furthermore, the rack is usually, butnot exclusively, attached to the inboard side wall panel of a boat,although other locations are contemplated. Additionally, the attachmentmeans is usually a securing device, wherein the securing device is, butnot exclusively, a clamp that adjustably attaches to the front and backside of the rigid planar member and adjustably attaches to the inboardside wall panel of the boat. Although other adjustable attachment meansare contemplated including, but not exclusively, an anchoring pin, abracket, VELCRO, or an adhesive.

Comprising the subject invention of a water sport equipment rack is arigid planar member 10, having a front side 10a and a back side 10b. Thesubject invention is described as having a quarter-circle shape from thefront side 10a or back side 10b view, as seen in FIGS. 2 or 3,respectively. The front side 10a and the back side 10b of the rigidmember 10 are joined by a horizontal edge 11, wherein the horizontaledge has a first end 11a and a second end 11b; a vertical edge 12 havinga first end 12a and a second end 12b, wherein the first vertical edgeend 12a joins the first horizontal edge end 11a; and an arced edge 13,having a first end 13a and a second end 13b, wherein the first arcededge end 13a joins the second horizontal edge end 11b and the secondarced edge end 13b joins the second vertical edge end 12b.

The arced edge 13 has at least one substantially, but not exclusively,parallel slot 20, 21, 22 preferably for holding a water ski WS, a wakeboard WB, a knee board (not shown, but usually held in the top slotbecause of its size), or the like; a substantially rounded slot 30 forholding a tow rope handle R; and a tapered slot 40 for holding a skiboom SB, as seen in FIGS. 4a and 4b. For storage of water sportequipment on this invention, slots 20, 21, 22, 30, and 40 each have anopen peripheral end 23, 25, 27, 31, and 41 and a closed medial end 24,26, 28, 32, and 42. The rack has a protective coating 60 over the rigidplanar member 10 to avoid scratches to the water sport equipment.

The rigid planar member 10, as seen in FIG. 4a, is attached to aninboard side wall panel W of the boat B by a clamp 50. The clamp 50adjustably attaches to the front side 10a and the back side 10b of therigid planar member 10 preferably proximate to the vertical edge 12 andadjustably attaches to the inboard side wall panel W of the boat B sothat the vertical edge 12 is aligned substantially flush to the inboardside wall panel W and the horizontal edge aligned substantially flush tothe floor F of the boat B thereby securing the water sport equipmentrack in a fixed position.

For a contemplated alternative means for attachment, the rigid planarmember 10, as seen in FIG. 4b, has a groove 51 on the front side 10awitha corresponding groove (not shown) on the back side 10b. The groovesalign substantially parallel to the vertical edge 12. The grooves alsohave at least one aperture 52 (the aperture usually extends from onegroove to the other) to receive an anchoring means, wherein theanchoring means may be an anchoring pin 53 attached to a clamp 50 thatadjustably attaches to the inboard side wall panel W, such that thevertical edge 12 aligns substantially flush to the inboard side wallpanel W and the horizontal edge 11 aligns substantially flush to thefloor F of the boat B.

For another alternative contemplated attachment means, the rigid planarmember 10 may have a slot (not shown) of predetermined dimensions on thearced edge 13 proximate to the vertical edge 12; the slot (not shown)may receive the inboard wall panel W so that the rack 10 may be wedgedbetween the floor F and the inboard wall panel W of the boat B.

The rigid planar member 10 may also have a support means (not shown)attached to the horizontal edge 11 to provide, as needed, additionalsupport for stabilizing the rack when positioned in the boat (B); thesupport means (not shown) may include a base, a pedestal, Velcro™, orthe like.

The invention has now been explained with reference to specificembodiments. Other embodiments will be suggested to those of ordinaryskill in the appropriate art upon review of the present specification.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail byway of illustration and example for purposes of clarity ofunderstanding, it will be obvious that certain changes and modificationsmay be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A water sport equipment rack for attachment in aboat, wherein the boat has an inboard compartment having a floor and awall panel, the rack comprises:a) a planar member, wherein said planarmember further comprises:i) a substantially horizontal edge, saidhorizontal edge having a first end and a second end; ii) a substantiallyvertical edge, said vertical edge having a first end and a second end,wherein said first vertical edge end touches said first horizontal edgeend; andiii) a substantially opposing edge, said opposing edge having afirst end and a second end, wherein said first opposing edge end touchessaid second horizontal edge end and said second opposing edge endtouches said second vertical edge end, wherein said opposing edgefurther comprises a plurality of slots, wherein said slots having anopen peripheral end and a closed medial end, said slots having apredetermined spacing and a predetermined length, wherein said spacingand said length are adapted to receive water sport equipment therein forsecure and safe transport, wherein said slots further comprise:a slotwith substantially parallel edges, said parallel edges having apredetermined spacing and a predetermined length, said spacing and saidlength sized to receive the water sport equipment for secure and safetransport; a slot with substantially rounded edges, said rounded edgeshaving a predetermined size to receive a ski rope handle for secure andsafe transport; and a slot with substantially tapered edges, saidtapered edges having a predetermined spacing and predetermined length toreceive at least a ski boom for secure and safe transport; and b) meansfor enabling adjustable attachment of said planar member to the inboardwall panel of the boat.
 2. A water sport equipment rack according toclaim 1, wherein said adjustable attachment means comprises a securingdevice, wherein said securing device adjustably attaches to said planarmember and is adapted to attach to the inboard wall panel of the boat.3. A water sport equipment rack for a boat, wherein the boat has aninboard compartment having a floor and a wall panel, the rackcomprises:a) a planar member having a substantially quarter-circleshape, wherein said quarter-circle member further comprises a planarside having a front side, a back side, and an edge, wherein said frontside is attached to said back side by said edge, wherein said edgefurther comprises:i) a substantially horizontal edge, wherein saidhorizontal edge may be positioned flush with the floor of the boat, saidhorizontal edge having a first end and a second end; ii) a substantiallyvertical edge, wherein said vertical edge may be positioned flush withthe inboard wall panel of the boat, said vertical edge having a firstend and a second end, wherein said first vertical edge end touches saidfirst horizontal edge end; and iii) a substantially arced edge, whereinsaid arced edge has a first end and a second end, wherein said firstarced edge end touches said second horizontal edge end and said secondarced edge end touches said second vertical edge end, wherein said arcededge further comprises a plurality of slots, wherein said slots have anopen peripheral end and a closed medial end, said slots having apredetermined spacing and a predetermined length, wherein said spacingand said length enable water sport equipment to be secure and safeduring storage and transport; and b) adjustable attachment means forattachment of said quarter-circle member to the inboard wall panel ofthe boat.
 4. A water sport equipment rack according to claim 3, whereinsaid slots further comprise:a) a slot with substantially parallel edges,said parallel edges having a predetermined spacing and a predeterminedlength, said spacing and said length sized to receive the water sportequipment for secure and safe transport; b) a slot with substantiallyrounded edges, said rounded edges having a predetermined size to receivea ski rope handle for secure and safe transport; and c) a slot withsubstantially tapered edges, said tapered edges having a predeterminedspacing and a predetermined length to receive a ski boom for secure andsafe transport.
 5. A water sport equipment rack according to claim 4,wherein said attachment means comprises a clamp, wherein said clampadjustably attaches to said front side and said back side of said planarmember and said clamp is adapted to adjustably attach to the inboardwall panel of the boat.
 6. A water sport equipment rack according toclaim 4, wherein said front panel and said back panel both furthercomprise a corresponding groove running substantially parallel to saidvertical edge.
 7. A water sport equipment rack according to claim 6,wherein said groove further comprises at least one aperture forreceiving an anchoring means.
 8. A water sport equipment rack accordingto claim 4, wherein said rack further comprises a rigid material.
 9. Awater sport equipment rack according to claim 8, wherein said rackfurther comprises a protective covering.